With 2005 nearly at an end, it's time to reflect on some of the more important occurrences, in my life that is, during the past year. After all, as Becky says, "it's all about me". Everything else just pales in comparison. :)
Overall, it was a decent year, although the last 3 months were nothing to write home about, but I'll still try to inform you of all the major happenings. First, I am still alive and haven't needed any treatment. I'm feeling reasonably well, with no major health problems, and I am still able to ride my bike pretty competitively, although my most recent bike accident has left me in some sorry shape.
The one significant thing that happened this year was bringing my 85 year old aunt from Florida, to live with Edie and myself this past April. We have room, but it is still difficult. I can tell you that it is true, the older you get, the more you revert to being a child. She is not in the best health, but is managing with lots of doctors appointments. Thank goodness for medicare and supplemental insurance.
We also finished remodeling the backyard, adding a (all brick) deck with built in barbecue. It's perfect for lots of wine parties. It took about 2 months, Becky's husband did it all by himself - he is very handy, and it was well worth the time and expense. I posted some pictures to my website, if anyone's interested. Keep in mind we live in Long Beach, so the backyard isn't hugh, but it is decent size, 60' x 30'.
Also took a great trip to Lake Okanagan, in BC, Canada. It's Canadian wine country, and is blessed with an abundance of great golf courses. So you can go play golf in the AM, and then go wine tasting in the afternoon. And the wine isn't half bad. Not half good either, but definitely worth visiting. The best thing that I discovered about Lake Okanagan, besides the great golf, is everybody speaks Canadian. It isn't too difficult to learn, but does take some getting used to. I loved it.
Well those were the high points (even my aunt, if you can believe that). Now for low points.
I had two bike crashes this year, one by myself, in June, when my front tire blew while going around a bend. Fortunately I wasn't going very fast, and only received some minor road rash. I did manage to fix the tire, and finish the ride. Ended up staying off the bike for about a week.
The real problems all started in October, after a wine tasting trip to the Edna Valley in California's central coast. After that visit I came down with the flu (or a bad cold - I didn't get a flu shot) which really set me back a lot. I still managed to ride, and play some golf, but still it wasn't pleasant. Then the bike crash on November 6th. That was a doozy.
Not only don't I remember the accident at all, I don't remember riding the 1/2 mile to the gas station at the corner afterwards, nor do I remember calling my wife, even after asking my friend how to do that. I vaguely remember some of the trip to the hospital, and some of the time in the x-ray and CT scan departments at the hospital. The first time I remember anything clearly was when I saw the doctor staring at my ankle (about 4 hours after the accident), and which eventually required 7 stitches. My wife even told me when we got to the emergency room, I got out of the wheel chair and lied down on the floor, so the emergency room personnel were anxious to get me into a bed. Maybe a good thing, because I must have been a sight.
Finally, after about 7 hours, armed with NSAIDS, antibiotics and some Vicodin, I was sent home. Not being one who likes taking any medication at all, I did decide to take the antibiotic (it would have been stupid not to take that), but I also decided to take a Vicodin, thinking my foot would really hurt after the anesthetic wore off where the doctor stitched up my ankle. I then went to bed.
About 3 AM is when all the excitement started. I had to go to the bathroom, which happens a lot at my age, but I couldn't. The room strated spinning so fast, I thought I must have been tied to a helicopter blade. It was absolutely the worst feeling in my life. The only thing I could do was piss into a water bottle, which if you've ever tried that, you'll know isn't quite that easy. I can only imagine what a woman would do under the same circumstances. I don't know if it was the Vicodin that caused the problem, since I read that dizziness can start sometime after a concussion, I decided not to take any more Vicodin. And as it turned out, my foot never hurt enough to require it.
That condition lasted about 2 days, when I finally got smart, and took a Dramamine. After about 2 hours, that kicked in, and I was able to at least function, not perfectly, but at least I could function.
So to make a long story short, which may not be possible at this point, I am mostly heeled now, my dizziness finally subsided about a week ago, and I don't feel to bad, except that my shoulder is still hurting, as the result of a chipped bone (which I discussed in my last post), and I am unable to play any golf because of it. I have an appointment scheduled with the orthopedist on January 18, at which time, if the shoulder isn't any better, I will have them remove the chip.
Then the last an final straw came last Tuesday, when Edie and I both got sick at essentially the same time. Apparently we got some 24 hr flu, which lasted about 48 hours, and were both hugging the procelin bowl for a short period of time early in the morning. Edie managed to still go to work that day, but did have to take off the following day. As for me I tried to go for a bike ride. Got about 2 miles down the road, and realized that wasn't going to happen. I turned around, came home and slept all day, and half of Wednesday.
It's Thursday now, and I am feeling pretty good, even went for a 35 mile bike ride this AM with some friends.
So those are my reflections on the year 2005. Notice how nothing else seems to concern me too much any more except for my health, not the war in Iraq, the deficit, illegal immigration. Well that's not exactly true. They do concern me, I just choose not to dwell on it on this blog. Remember what Becky had to say, "it's all about me."
Besides, I'm also publishing another blog dedicated to spreading the word about flaws in current US health care policy, and the need for a single payer health care system in the US. You may have noticed one of the numerous links to the site on one of my previous posts. If not, please check it out. Contributions in the form of articles or posts for the site would be greatly appreciated. You can post directly, simply by registering for the site, and navigating to "Write". Money won't be turned down either.
Here's looking for a great 2006, and an even better 2007. I'll be back next year.
Overall, it was a decent year, although the last 3 months were nothing to write home about, but I'll still try to inform you of all the major happenings. First, I am still alive and haven't needed any treatment. I'm feeling reasonably well, with no major health problems, and I am still able to ride my bike pretty competitively, although my most recent bike accident has left me in some sorry shape.
The one significant thing that happened this year was bringing my 85 year old aunt from Florida, to live with Edie and myself this past April. We have room, but it is still difficult. I can tell you that it is true, the older you get, the more you revert to being a child. She is not in the best health, but is managing with lots of doctors appointments. Thank goodness for medicare and supplemental insurance.
We also finished remodeling the backyard, adding a (all brick) deck with built in barbecue. It's perfect for lots of wine parties. It took about 2 months, Becky's husband did it all by himself - he is very handy, and it was well worth the time and expense. I posted some pictures to my website, if anyone's interested. Keep in mind we live in Long Beach, so the backyard isn't hugh, but it is decent size, 60' x 30'.
Also took a great trip to Lake Okanagan, in BC, Canada. It's Canadian wine country, and is blessed with an abundance of great golf courses. So you can go play golf in the AM, and then go wine tasting in the afternoon. And the wine isn't half bad. Not half good either, but definitely worth visiting. The best thing that I discovered about Lake Okanagan, besides the great golf, is everybody speaks Canadian. It isn't too difficult to learn, but does take some getting used to. I loved it.
Well those were the high points (even my aunt, if you can believe that). Now for low points.
I had two bike crashes this year, one by myself, in June, when my front tire blew while going around a bend. Fortunately I wasn't going very fast, and only received some minor road rash. I did manage to fix the tire, and finish the ride. Ended up staying off the bike for about a week.
The real problems all started in October, after a wine tasting trip to the Edna Valley in California's central coast. After that visit I came down with the flu (or a bad cold - I didn't get a flu shot) which really set me back a lot. I still managed to ride, and play some golf, but still it wasn't pleasant. Then the bike crash on November 6th. That was a doozy.
Not only don't I remember the accident at all, I don't remember riding the 1/2 mile to the gas station at the corner afterwards, nor do I remember calling my wife, even after asking my friend how to do that. I vaguely remember some of the trip to the hospital, and some of the time in the x-ray and CT scan departments at the hospital. The first time I remember anything clearly was when I saw the doctor staring at my ankle (about 4 hours after the accident), and which eventually required 7 stitches. My wife even told me when we got to the emergency room, I got out of the wheel chair and lied down on the floor, so the emergency room personnel were anxious to get me into a bed. Maybe a good thing, because I must have been a sight.
Finally, after about 7 hours, armed with NSAIDS, antibiotics and some Vicodin, I was sent home. Not being one who likes taking any medication at all, I did decide to take the antibiotic (it would have been stupid not to take that), but I also decided to take a Vicodin, thinking my foot would really hurt after the anesthetic wore off where the doctor stitched up my ankle. I then went to bed.
About 3 AM is when all the excitement started. I had to go to the bathroom, which happens a lot at my age, but I couldn't. The room strated spinning so fast, I thought I must have been tied to a helicopter blade. It was absolutely the worst feeling in my life. The only thing I could do was piss into a water bottle, which if you've ever tried that, you'll know isn't quite that easy. I can only imagine what a woman would do under the same circumstances. I don't know if it was the Vicodin that caused the problem, since I read that dizziness can start sometime after a concussion, I decided not to take any more Vicodin. And as it turned out, my foot never hurt enough to require it.
That condition lasted about 2 days, when I finally got smart, and took a Dramamine. After about 2 hours, that kicked in, and I was able to at least function, not perfectly, but at least I could function.
So to make a long story short, which may not be possible at this point, I am mostly heeled now, my dizziness finally subsided about a week ago, and I don't feel to bad, except that my shoulder is still hurting, as the result of a chipped bone (which I discussed in my last post), and I am unable to play any golf because of it. I have an appointment scheduled with the orthopedist on January 18, at which time, if the shoulder isn't any better, I will have them remove the chip.
Then the last an final straw came last Tuesday, when Edie and I both got sick at essentially the same time. Apparently we got some 24 hr flu, which lasted about 48 hours, and were both hugging the procelin bowl for a short period of time early in the morning. Edie managed to still go to work that day, but did have to take off the following day. As for me I tried to go for a bike ride. Got about 2 miles down the road, and realized that wasn't going to happen. I turned around, came home and slept all day, and half of Wednesday.
It's Thursday now, and I am feeling pretty good, even went for a 35 mile bike ride this AM with some friends.
So those are my reflections on the year 2005. Notice how nothing else seems to concern me too much any more except for my health, not the war in Iraq, the deficit, illegal immigration. Well that's not exactly true. They do concern me, I just choose not to dwell on it on this blog. Remember what Becky had to say, "it's all about me."
Besides, I'm also publishing another blog dedicated to spreading the word about flaws in current US health care policy, and the need for a single payer health care system in the US. You may have noticed one of the numerous links to the site on one of my previous posts. If not, please check it out. Contributions in the form of articles or posts for the site would be greatly appreciated. You can post directly, simply by registering for the site, and navigating to "Write". Money won't be turned down either.
Here's looking for a great 2006, and an even better 2007. I'll be back next year.
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